The
predicted "death" of the two-state solution, which has been repeated
consistently for many years now, has led to a sense of complacency and a
lack of urgency regarding the current situation. In the government of
Israel, this does not provoke major concern, because the present
coalition's political platform is focused on consolidating colonization
rather than achieving peace. This is a government that believes it can
indefinitely maintain a system whereby one group of people is privileged
and another oppressed.

Among the Israeli public, it is not a
central concern due to the fact that Israel is not paying any price for
its systematic violations of human rights and international law,
allowing its people to turn a blind eye to the millions persecuted in
their name. But something is clear: We are at the point of no return.
Whether we achieve a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders, or
enter into a long struggle for civil rights in order to defeat Israeli
apartheid throughout historic Palestine, it will fall to the
international community to decide.

Palestine recognized Israeli
sovereignty over 78 percent of our homeland back in 1988. This painful
and historic compromise was not a tactical move, but a strategic choice.
We have worked tirelessly to implement, on the ground, the vision of
two sovereign, democratic states living side by side in peace and
security. We have made every effort to reach a just and lasting peace,
from the adoption of non-violent methods to resist the Israeli
occupation to diplomatic steps, within the international arena, seeking
to achieve overdue Palestinian rights.

Acceding to multilateral
treaties also helps Palestine to shape itself as a peace-loving state
that respects human rights and a responsible actor on the international
stage. And yet, all such Palestinian moves have been answered with
aggressive responses from Israel, resulting in an absurd situation
whereby acts such as sitting at the negotiating table or signing
treaties on women's and children's rights, are met with further
settlement announcements, increased violence against Palestinians, and
economic sanctions on an already captive economy.

Although some
sectors within Israel understand the urgency of the situation, the lack
of decisive international action has undermined those who want a
negotiated two-state solution and has empowered the extremists leading
the Israeli government coalition. As long as no action is taken on the
economic, political, and diplomatic levels, Prime Minister Netanyahu,
Foreign Minister Lieberman, Housing Minister Ariel, and Economy Minister
Bennett will continue along the same path, which is one of apartheid
and colonization rather than one of justice, peace, and reconciliation.

The
European Union took an important step by publishing guidelines
prohibiting European funding to settlements. This is a step in the right
direction, but there is much more to be done in order to tackle the
Israeli settlement enterprise, the main obstacle to peace. If the
international community believes in the two-state solution, simple
actions such as recognizing the State of Palestine; supporting
Palestine's access to international treaties; ensuring that
international companies have no contracts with, investments in, or trade
with, Israeli entities that have direct or indirect links to
settlements; or in the case of Europe, asking Israeli settlers to apply
for visas, will go a long way toward achieving this.

The reality
of the "end of the two-state solution" has been reflected in the EU
Heads of Mission Report on East Jerusalem and reports on human rights
and freedom of worship from the U.S. State Department. It can be read in
every document produced by UN organizations and can be seen all over
the occupied State of Palestine. The reality is no secret. What is
required, however, is more active steps from all third party states,
steps which will bring their operative policy in line with their
declared policy, and most importantly, with international law.

It
is time for the international community to empower those within Israel
who want peace rather than colonization. It is time to stop treating
Israel as a state above the law. It is time for Israel to revoke dozens
of laws and hundreds of policies that discriminate against Palestinian
Christians and Muslims. It is time to end the immorality of prolonging
the exile and occupation of an entire nation due to the incapacity of
the international community to hold Israel accountable for decades of
forced displacement, occupation, and colonization.

Over the years
I have come to know many Israelis. My belief in the prospects of peace
was boosted, most of the time, after those personal encounters. I feel
that many Israelis resent the notion of forever being occupiers.
However, their government continues to avoid the only logical
conclusion.

Time does not stand still. Israelis are approaching
the point where they must make a fateful choice: Are they ready to opt
for the two-state solution, or abandon it forever? I am one of those who
believe a two-state solution is still possible, but I am not naïve.
Without international action, the prospects for a just and lasting peace
will remain elusive.